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Comparative Literature
Sats (12:00-3:00PM)
Lope de Vega and William Shakespeare: Founders of the National Theatre
Lope De Vega
THE writer, generally referred to simply as Lope de Vega, was the
greatest and most prolific dramatist of Spain's "Golden Age
...
It is said that he
could write a complete play in a single day, and we may well believe it
...
Before he was
twelve he had written two plays which, strangely enough, are among those that have come down
to posterity
...
Military service, however, apparently was not permitted to interrupt the flow of
de Vega's literary activity, for, according to tradition, he wrote steadily even on shipboard
...
His plays are remarkable for fertile
imagination, skill in characterization and an always spirited dialogue
...
gave it a national theater
...
It is probable that the autos stem from the fact that Philip II on his deathbed forbade the
presentation of secular drama in Spain for an indefinite time
...
Lope de Vega's plays brought him wealth and renown
...
He was frequently referred to as the "Spanish Phoenix" and
"Prodigy of Nature
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At his death no vistage of his great fortune remained; only the memory of his pomp and
of his generosity toward the poor
...
Trends & Mov’t: Naturalism
THE STAR OF SEVILLE
Summary:
THROUGHOUT all Seville, Stella Tabera is known for her virtue and for a wondrous beauty which
has earned her the title of "Star of Seville
...
Stella is looking forward to marriage with her brother's best friend, Don
Sancho Ortiz, when the King of Castile makes a visit to the city
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Arias, his informant and confidant, advise the King to attain his desires by showering honors on
the girl's brother
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As a final resort, Arias bribes the slave, Mathilde, to admit the King at night when Bustos is
away
...
When lights brought by the servants confirm the truth of his statement, he is, of course,
allowed to depart unharmed but nursing a burning hatred for the man who has exposed his
unkingly actions
...
Arias recommends Don Sancho Ortiz and so it comes about that Don Sancho on his
wedding morning receives the royal command to kill his best friend, brother of the girl he loves
...
His refusal to tell the reason for his actions puts the King in a
dilemma
...
A solution seems to offer itself when Stella appears in the royal
presence to beg that vengeance for her brother's death be put in her hands
...
Thus finally the King is forced to acknowledge his own responsibility and Sancho's honor is
cleared
...
Characters:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Stella – beautiful and virtuous woman, the Star of Seville
...
Don Sancho Ortiz – friend of Bustos, supposed to be married to Stella
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Arias – The King’s informant and confidant
Mathilde - Stella’s house servant
Setting: Seville
Themes:
• Frustration
• Loyalty
• Revenge
Conventions/Characteristics:
1
...
Each circumstance developed in its proper place;
3
...
dances are made up before the audience;
5
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Characters are introduced in a manner sufficiently striking to awaken general
curiosity
7
...
William Shakespeare
• April 23, 1564 – April 23, 1616
...
Married to Anne Hathoway
...
Produced most of his work between 1586 and 1616
First play: ; Last play: The Tempest, 1613
Wrote tragedies, histories, comedies and romances
-
Histories: Henry IV, V, VI, VIII, Richard II, III
-
Tragedies: Romeo and Juliet, Orthello, Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth
-
Commedies: Comedy of Errors, Twelthf Night, As you Like It, Much Adu About Nothing
Trends and Mov’t: Romanticism
Othello, the Moor of Venice
Summary:
Othello, a Moorish general of Venice, has promoted Cassio as his lieutenant; Iago, who was
hoping for the promotion himself, makes plots against both Cassio and Othello to exact revenge
...
When Othello is posted to
Cyprus by the Duke of Venice, Iago escorts Desdemona there to meet him, taking along his own
wife, Emilia
...
He tricks
Cassio into getting drunk, then has Roderigo—a former suitor of Desdemona whom Iago has
convinced to aid him with the hope of winning Desdemona back—pick a fight with Cassio that
ends in Cassio's arrest
...
Then Iago has Cassio visit
Desdemona, saying that an appeal to her might do well to convince Othello to reinstate him
...
As Iago and Othello view the scene, Iago plants seeds of
doubt and jealousy in Othello's mind concerning Desdemona's fidelity
...
Later, fortune literally drops
Desdemona's handkerchief into Iago's hand; he gets the handkerchief from Emilia, who
discovered it, plants the handkerchief in Cassio's room, and then tells Othello that he saw Cassio
with it
...
Cassio, meanwhile, has given the handkerchief to a
courtesan with whom he is intimate
...
His smoldering rage now beginning to bubble over, Othello tells Iago to kill Cassio and then
angrily confronts Desdemona
...
Iago, meanwhile, has
Roderigo attempt to murder Cassio; when Roderigo fails to do more than wound the soldier, Iago
slays him so that Roderigo can't implicate him in the affair
...
When Emilia discovers the crime, she decries the Moor as a villain and at first refuses to
believe that Iago has so evilly manipulated Othello
...
When
Iago cannot keep Emilia from telling the truth about the handkerchief, he stabs her and attempts
to escape; not only is he captured, but letters found on Roderigo's body thoroughly implicate
Iago as the treacherous villain that he is
...
Characters:
•
Duke of Venice
•
Brabantio, a senator
•
Other Senators
•
Gratiano, brother of Brabantio
•
Lodovico, kinsman of Brabantio
•
Othello, a noble Moor
•
Cassio, Othello's lieutenant
•
Iago, Othello's ancient
•
Roderigo
•
Montano, governor of Cypress
•
Clown, Othello's servant
•
Desdemona, wife of Othello
•
Emilia, wife of Iago
•
Bianca, Cassio's mistress
•
A Sailor
•
Messengers, Herald, Officers, Gentlemen
•
Musicians and Attendants
Setting: Venice
Themes:
•
Trust
• Loyalty
• Revenge
• Jealousy
•
Appearance & Reality
Characteristics/Conventions:
1
...
2
...
3
...
4
...
5
...
6
...
7
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8
...
9
...
10
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11
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12
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13
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14
...
15
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EVALUATION of LITERARY MERITS:
1
...
Their distinguishing qualities stand out to the mind's eye, so that even when we are not thinking of their
actions or sentiments, the idea of their persons is still as present to us as ever
...
Spiritual Value
Both plays makes the reader ponder on the depth of one’s faith, on how easily one thinks to end other
person’s existence without second thought because of unfulfilled vested interested
...
Intellectual Value
Normal as it is that ordinary people have one’s liking & wants, even goals in life; which one adhere to put
into reality that once failed, gives a feeling of frustration
...
De Vega and Shakespeare have shown the mastery of their genius and of their
power over the human heart
...
Emotional Value
The expiring conflict between love and hatred, tenderness and resentment, jealousy and remorse, in
unfolding the strength and the weaknesses of our nature, awakens every man’s heart sentiment towards the
characters
...
Tragedy creates a balance of
the affections
...
5
...
It happens in real-life situation even before
and also during the present times